The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed Friday that a New World screwworm was detected in a 1-month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, the agency said.
The agency said the finding followed testing of “a number of suspected cases.” The USDA described the pest as a flesh-eating parasite.
The USDA said it is racing to contain and eradicate the outbreak before it severely impacts the cattle population.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
